Control system for electric cars.



Patentod Sept. 24, I90I.

(Application filed an. 22, 1000. Imam-0d Aug. 2, 1001.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Iodol.)

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No. 683,279. Patented Sept. 24, 190i. 6.. HOCHENEGG.

CONTROL SYSTEI FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

(Applimfion Med Jun 22, 1900. Renewed Aug. 2, 1901.) (lo Modal.) 2Sheets-Shoat 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL IIOCI'IENEGG, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS &IIALSKE ELECTRIC COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,279, datedSeptember 24, 1901.

Application filed January 22, 1900. Renewed August 2,1901. Serial No.70,781. (No model.)

To all 1.0700122 2315 may concern: being preferably interposed betweenthe car- Be it known that I, CARL HOCHENEGG, a axles and the rotatingmotor means. Clutch subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary,mechanism, preferably that shown in the said residing at Vienna,Austria-Hungary, have patent, is interposed between each motor 5invented a certain new and useful Improvemeans and its associatecontroller.

ment in Electric-Railway Systems, (Case No. Another feature of myinvention may be 299,) of which the following is a full, clear,generally described as consisting in poleconcise, and exact description,reference bechanging switches associated with the trac- 6o ing had tothe accompanying drawings, formtion-motors and electromagnetic means forIO ing a part of this specification. effecting the operation of thepole-changing My invention relates to electric-railway switches, thiselectromagnetic means being systems, and has for its object theprovision preferably operated by means of current reofimproved means foreffecting the operation ceived from the trolley-line. The switches ofcontrollers upon several motor-cars in a are preferably so disposed withrelation to [5 single train and also the provision of imtheelectromagnetic means foreffecting their proved switching apparatus forcontrolling operation that when the current for supplythe operation ofthe traction-motors with the ing this means is interrupted the switchessupply-conductors and for simultaneouslyefwill be in neutral position,in which they fecting a reversal of the motor connections to serve tocut the motors out of circuit.

20 reverse the direction of rotation of the trac- I will explain myinvention more particution-motors, and thereby the direction of larly byreference tothe accompanying drawtravel of the train. ings, in whichMore specifically one feature of my inven- Figure 1 diagrammaticallyillustrates two tion has for its object the provision of an immotor-carsin the train, the apparatus of my 25 proved motor means adapted toeffect the opinvention being shown in place. Fig. 2 illuseration ofsuitable mechanism upon each oftrates,diagrammatically,twomotor-carsinthe the motor-cars to efiect thesimultaneous optrain, modified means for effecting the opera eration ofthe motor-controllers. tion of the pole-changing switches and for Myimproved motor means is particularly initially controlling the motorsbeing illus- 0 well adapted to operate the controller-actutrated. Fig. 3is a plan view of a car axle ating mechanism illustrated in Patent No.with its wheels in place thereon and the pre- 623,223, dated April 18,1899. In the appafer-red form of motor driven by the car-axle. ratusdisclosed in said patent special electric Fig. 4 is a sectional view online at 4 of Fig. motors receiving their-current from the trol- 3. Fig.5 is a side view of the mechanism 5 Icy-line were employed to eifect theoperation shown in Fig. 3.

of the controller-actuating mechanism, one Like parts areindicated bysimilar characmotor being placed upon each of the motorters of referencethroughout the different cars, this motor running constantly to be inviews.

readiness to operate the controller-actuating I will first explain thetype of controller- 40 mechanism. I have shown myimproved moactuatingmechanism that is adapted for use tor means as being adaptedparticularly for in connection with theimproved motor means use inconnection with the apparatus of the of my invention, after which I willdescribe said patent; but I do not wish to be limited my improved motormeans in detail and the 5 to the use to which the invention may be put.mechanism for initially controlling the mo- 45 Generally speaking, thisfeature of my intors and their precise manner of communivention consistsin a motor means associated cation with the trolley-line. with eachmotor-controller, the motor means I preferably employ upon eachmotor-car being adapted to be mechanically driven by of the trainmyimproved motor means a, to IO) means of the moving car. The cars intravbe more fully hereinafter described, in addi- 5o eling effect therotary movement of the motion to the traction-motor, the latterreceivtor means, preferably through the agency of ing current fromtrolley-wires b b by means the rotating axles of the car-trucks, gearingof trolleys in contact therewith. The motor means a are preferably ofthe same size and are adapted to be rotated at the same speed, andthrough the agency of intervening gearing a efiect the rotation of theshaft 0 in a uniform direction. A large gear-wheel d and a smallgear-wheel e are provided upon each shaft 0. Each gear-wheel d engages acollar f,preferably of nonmagnetic material, loosely mounted upon ashaftf. A flexible couplingf unites the shaftf with the shaft of acontroller to permit thecontroller-shaft gradually to start from a stateof rest. Each wheel e engages a small wheel e, which in turn rotates aclutch member 6 also loosely mounted upon the shaftf. Each clutchmemberf is opposed to a clutch memberf Each clutch member e isassociated with a clutch member a The clutch members 6 and f are splinedupon the shaft f and are capable of longitudinal movement upon theshaft. A coiled springis interposed between the clutch members c enormally to separate the same. Another coiled springz' is interposedbetween the member f and a disk-armature i, preferably mounted upon theshaftf and having no longitudinal movement thereupon. The latter coiledspring when not counteracted maintains the clutch members ff inengagement. The coils Z m of the clutch members 6 are adapted to beincluded in circuit with a suitable source of current, as the battery7c, by means of a switch 7c, operated by the motorman. A

The apparatus upon the ears shown in Fig.

1 are similar and similar letters and numerals of reference have beenemployed to designate like parts thereof.

In operating the controller onlyone switch upon the leading car isusually employed, the'switches upon the other cars being open. Beforedescribing the particular features of my invention I will first setforth the manner of operation of the controller-actuating apparatusdescribed above in detail.

Assuming that the shafts c are rotated in a uniform direction throughthe agency of the motor means a in order to efieot the operation of thecontrollers n to cut out the resistance from circuit with thearmaturesand fields of the series wound traction motors shown, theswitch 70 upon car No. l is engaged with contact-button l, circuit fromthe battery in being thereby closed through the coils Z m, whereby theclutch-collars e e upon each car are engaged and each clutch memberfattracted toward its armature 'i to disengageit from its companionmemberf. Each controller is thereupon slowly operated by the wheels eand e to cut the resistance out of circuit with the tractionmotors. Whenthe train has reached the desired speedor when it is stationary, theswitch it is thrown upon button 2, circuit through coils Z being therebyopened while current from the battery 7c continues to flow through thecoils m. Upon this operation of the switch the clutch members 6 e uponeach car are separated,

so that no motion is communicated from the shafts c to the'shafts f, theparts 6 being the only ones upon the shaftfthat are constantly rotated.When it is desired to cut the traction-motors out of circuit, the switchIt is moved to button 3 to open circuit through the coils m, the spring2' thereupon throwing the clutch members ff of each clutch intoengagement, the wheels 01 then serving to rotate the shafts f at a rapidspeed to cut the traction motors out of circuit. After the train hasbeen brought to a stop the switch 7c is again thrown upon button 2,current from battery is being again directed, through the coils m, toseparate the members ff upon each car.

I will now describe my improved motor means for efiecting the operationof controller-actuating mechanism.

Oar-axle 0 is caused to rotate the motor means, preferably by means ofthe mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. In Figs. 1 and 2 I haveshown friction-disks p in frictional engagement with the car-wheels toeffeet the operation of the motor means a, but this is not the preferredconstruction. In Fig. 2 the connections between the frictiondisksp andthe controller-shafts are indicated diagrammatically; but I prefer toemploy the controller-actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the preferred embodiment of my improved motor means shownin Figs. 3, 4, and 5, I mount a gear-wheel q upon a caraxle and mesh apinion '2" into engagement therewith. This pinion serves to rotate abevel-gear s, which in turn serves to rotate the bevel-gears t z. Thebevel-gearst are rotated in opposite directionsby the bevel-gear 8, eachof the bevel-gears 25 having one direction of rotation upon the forwardtravel of the train and a reversed direction of rotation upon backwardmovement of the train. The bevel-gears t t are loosely mounted upon ashaft or other rotating part it, which supports a worm a, Fig. 1,engaging the shaft 0. A ratchet 1;, provided with two sets of teethsloping in the same direction, is rigidly secured upon the shaft 11..The bevel-gears t are provided with pawls 10, which engage the teeth ofthe ratchet, one of the pawls engaging the teeth to effect the rotationof the ratchet, while the other pawl, rotating in the oppositedirection, slips engagement with the ratchet-teeth. These pawls arepressed to-,

ward the ratchet bymeans of suitable springs in a manner well known. Bymeans of the gear-wheels s. 25 t and the ratchet v the shaft u isrotated in a uniform direction irrespective of the direction of travelof the train. I am thus enabled to employ motor means for effecting theoperation of the controllers, which receive their power as a result ofthe movement of the train, so that the motor means may be efficient inoperation and cheap in construction.

I wlll now describe my improved means for initially efliecting thecontrol of the tractionmotors by reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

I have shown a centrallypivoted polechanging switch :1 one end of whichswitch is secured to a segmental core :10, passing through the bores ofsolenoids ocflwhich switch is capable of assuming a central position andextreme positions, with one end near one or the other of the solenoids.A switch y is shown upon each of the cars, the switch serving to closecircuit through one or the other of the solenoids when thrown into oneor the other of its extreme positions. One switch only, of course, needbe operated. hen this switch is in the central position, neither of thesolenoids is energized, the spring 09 associated with the switches 09then serving to restore the same to central positions when the circuitthrough the motors is completely opened. lVhen the switches are in oneextreme position, the motors are connected to run in one direction.lVhen the switches are in the reversed extreme positions, the rotationof the motors is reversed. The solenoids constitute electromagneticmeans for effecting the operation of the pole-changing switches, whilethe switches 31, including their connections,each constitutes a unitarymeans for efiecting the control of the said electromagnetic means.

In Fig. 2 I have shown supplemental rheostats 2 for initiallycontrolling the operation of the traction motors. In the apparatus shownin this figure the automatically-operated controller actuating mechanismmay open the circuit including each of the traction-motors. I have shownin this figure a conductor 2', which serves to unite the main rheostatsupon each vehicle. The local-train circuit, including the battery 7;,cooperating with the controller-actuating mechanism, is omitted fromFig. 2 for the sake of clearness. The rheostat .2 shown upon car No. 1,for example, is adapted to close circuit through the main rheostats tostart the motors, the train after being started then serving to operatethe controller actuating mechanism, after which the auxiliary rheostatmay be thrown out of circuit.

There are devices of myinvention that are adapted for use in otherconnections than with railway systems.

While I have herein shown and particularly described rheostats ascomprising controllers for governing the operation of thetraction-motors, I do not wish to be limited to this precise form ofcontroller.

It is obvious that changes may readily be made in the apparatus of myinvention without departing from its spirit, and I do not, therefore,wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wheeled vehicle, the combination with a shaft of the vehicle, ofa gear-wheel q receiving rotary motion from the shaft and adaptedthereby to be rotated in either direction, a second gear-wheel 0"receiving its motion from the gear-wheel q, a bevel-gear 8 receivingmotion from the gear-wheel r, bevelgears t, t,driven by the bevel-gears, a ratchet o, and pawls carried by the hevel'gears t, t, and engagingthe ratchet 12 whereby the latter is rotated in a single uniformdirection irrespective of the direction of travel of the vehicle,substantially as described.

' 2. In a system of electricrailway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, each having a controller for thecorresponding propelling-motor, of means upon each of said cars operatedby contact with the roadway for actuating a correspond ing controller,and means upon a single car for operatively connecting thecontroller-actuating means with the controllers upon the several cars,substantially as described.

3. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, each having a controller adapted tograduate and regulate the current through a correspondingpropelling-motor, of means upon each of said cars operated by contactwith the roadway for actuating a corresponding controller, and meansupon a single car for operatively connecting the controller-actuatingmeans with the controllers upon the several cars, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a system of electric railway, the com bination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, each having a controller for thecorresponding propellingmotor, of means upon each ofsaid cars operatedby contact with theroadway for actuating a corresponding controller, anda single actuating means for operatively connecting the controller-actuating means with the controllers at the same time, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, each having a controller adapted tograduate and regulate the current through a correspondingpropelling-motor, of means upon each of said cars operated by contactwith the roadway for actuating a corresponding controller, and a singleactuating means for operatively connecting the controller-actuatingmeans with the controllers at the same time, substantially as described.

6. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, of controllers for the propellingmotors ofthe train, controller actuating means operated by contact with theroadway, and means upon a single car for operatively connecting thecontroller-actuating means with the controllers upon the severalcars,substantially as described.

7. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, of controllers serving to graduate andregulate the'cu rrent through the propelling motors, controlleractuating means operated by contact with the roadway, and means upon asingle car for operatively connecting the controller-actuating meanswith the controllers upon the several cars, substantially as described.

8. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, of controllers for the propelling.-

n.n tors of the train, a plurality of controlleractuating means operatedby contact with the roadway, and a single actuating means foroperatively connecting the controller-actuating means with thecontrollers at the same time, substantially as described.

9. In a system of electric railway, the combination with a' plurality ofmotor-cars in a single train, of controllers serving to graduate andregulate the current through the propelling-motors, a plurality ofcontroller-ac- 'tuating means operated by contact with the roadway, anda single actuating means for operativcly connectingthecontroller-actuatng means with the controllers at the same time,substantially as described.

10. The combination with a wheeled vehicle provided with apropelling-motor and a conprovided with a propelling-motor and acontroller for the motor, of a controller-actuating means, and meansincluding an element having rolling contact with the roadway foropcrating the controller-actuating means, substantially as described.

11. The combination witha wheeled vehicle provided with apropelling-motor and a controller' serving to increase and decrease thecurrent through the propellingemotor, a controller-actuating meansoperated by contact with the road-way, and means whereby said actuatingmeans may effect the operation of the controller in reverse directions,substantially as described.

12. The combination with awheel'ed vehicle troller therefor, of acontroller-actuating means operated by contact with the roadway,

and means whereby the controller-actuating means may cause the operationof the controller in reverse directions while the vehicle is travelingina-single direction, substantially as described.

13; In an electric-railway system, a train comprising a plurality ofmotor-cars, each provided with a traction motor or motors and amotor-controller, means upon each motorcar operated by contact with theroadway for 1 actuating the controller on that car, means upon eachmotor-car for operativelyconnect- 1 ing the controller-actuating meanswith the controller, means for simultaneously controlling the operationof the said connecting j means from any desired point on the train,

and auxiliary means for opening and closing the motor-circuits.

14. In an electric-railway system, a train comprising a plurality ofmotor-cars, each provided with a traction motor or motors and amotor-controller, means upon each motorcar operated by contact with theroadway for actuating the controller on that car, means upon eachmotor-car for operatively connecting the controller-actuating means withthe controller, means for simultaneously controlling the operation ofthe said connecting means from any desired point on thetrain, andauxiliary means for controlling from any desired point on the train theconnection between the motor-circuits and the source 0 supply.

15. In an electric-railway system, a train comprising a plurality ofmotor-cars, each provided with a traction motor or motors and amotor-controller, means upon each: motorcar operated by contact with theroadway for actuating the controller on that car, means upon eachmotor-car for operatively connecting the controller-actuating means withthe controller, and a train system comprising means for-simultaneouslycontrolling the operation of said connecting means and means forinitially efiecting the control" of the traction-motors.

16. In an electric-railway system, a train comprising a plurality ofmotor-cars, each I provided with a traction motor or motors and lamotor-controller, mean-s upon: each motorcar operated by contact withthe roadway for actuating the controller on that car, means upon eachmotor-car for operatively connecting the controller-actuating means withthe controller, means upon each motor-car for controlling the circuitconnection between j. the motor-circuits and the source of supply, ianda train-control system for controlling :from: any desired point on thetrain the operation of said connecting means and said circuitcontrollingmeans.

17. The combination with a Wheel-vehicle provided with apropelling-motor and acontroller therefor, of means operated by contactwith the roadway for actuating the motorcontroller, means foroperatively connecting the controller-actuating means with thecontroller, and a control system comprising means for controlling theoperation of the said connecting means, and auxiliary means for open- 7ing and closing the motor-circuits.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my {name this 9th day ofDecember, A. D. 1899.

CARL HOCHENEGG.

Witnessesz- I ALVESTO S. HOGUE, Aueusr FUGGER.

IIO

